A.F. Product Gallery: Track: #725

Manufacturer:

American Flyer

Manufacturer ID:

725

Road Name:

90-degree Crossing

Year Introduced:

1946

The #725 was produced from 1946 through 1956, in two variations. The rarest variation, which was produced in 1946 (close-up shown in Photo #3, the underside is shown in Photo #4), has brass strips in the wheel channels of the crossover plate; a feature that was discontinued in 1947. The brass strips were originally thought to correct loss of tender wheel contact while crossing the diamond however, it did not work well after the contacts got dirty. The common variation, shown in the main photo, was made from 1947 through 1956. In addition, the 1946 model has blackened rails that did not appear on a #725 after 1946 (this can be seen in Photo #3). From 1957 through 1964, A.C. Gilbert sold the 90 Degree Crossing as #26745. However, the only way to tell a #725 from a #26745 was from the original box. The 1946 through 1956 crossings came in boxes marked "725" while the later units came in boxes marked "26745". There is one difference in the crossing that the Greenberg and Doyle books have failed to mention, and that is that some of the early units have wires that connect the track sections while other have metal strips (see the back view in Photo #2).